PADDINGTON 2 – Rated PG – 1 hr. 43 mins. – MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS

Director and Writer Paul King brings his favorite furry little friend back to the big screen, as we find that Paddington (Voiced by Ben Whishaw) is happily settled in some three years later with his adopted family, the Brown’s. Enjoying this life, but missing his Aunt Lucy, Paddington decides to take on odd jobs to save for a special gift he wants to acquire for his Aunt Lucy’s 100th Birthday!

When he finally finds the “perfect gift” only to have it stolen away from the cad about town, Phoenix Buchanan (Hugh Grant), Paddington, his family, and even the new friends he makes in the slammer, all want to help Paddington get his gift back…and to prove he is still the best bear ever to have around the neighborhood, when this adorable sequel is through…

I give Paddington 2 a rating of MUST SEE ON THE BIG SCREEN ~ As sequel’s go this one is TOP NOTCH, as I think I enjoyed this film better than the first! From the heartfelt storyline throughout, to the wonderfully portrayed performances by his adopted parents Mary (Sally Hawkins) and Henry Brown (Hugh Bonneville), to Paddington’s new BEST FRIEND that he that he acquires in prison, the scariest dude of all, Knuckles McGinty – played by Brendan Gleeson – Paddington 2 plays out like a dream the whole way through. Even my 7-year-old niece Kennadie, who joined me to view the advanced screening, was singing its praises the whole way home from the theater – confirming that this is the perfect family flick to kick off the new year, as you wrestle up the troops to enjoy this wonderfully pleasant film, at a theater near you…